What to Save During an Emergency

WHAT TO SAVE DURING AN EMERGENCY

You can't schedule an emergency or crisis like you can a dental appointment. So how can you ever really be prepared for one?
Hikingware.com recommends five areas where planning ahead will help you better survive the disasters that unavoidably come into our lives:

Legal Documents

• Identification, especially in this day in age, is extremely important. In light of a catastrophic disaster, your access to transportation, medical aid, and other public services could be hindered if you fail to provide some form of identification. Also, in the event that one of these forms are stolen during a break-in, your family is now extremely vulnerable to identity theft for what can easily be several years. Not only can this lead to feelings of discomfort and perpetual worry, but it can even have a devastating impact on your family’s financial security. Other types of documentation to consider are insurance policies, wills, health records, and financial documents.

Bank & Financial Information

• Everyone, individuals and families alike, should have an emergency fund that will last a minimum of six months. Emergency funds are best made up of guaranteed investments such as savings accounts, as opposed to stock portfolios. Many individuals even elect to establish both short-term and long-term funds. While the short-term fund can be for less-serious emergencies like car repairs, the long-term fund is for major emergencies and disasters. The information for these accounts, and all other financial accounts for that matter, should be stored someplace safe and secure. If you do not already have them, consider purchasing a fireproof safe or obtaining a safety deposit box. At the very least, have copies of major banking information put in a freezer bag to store in your freezer.

Home Safe Home

• It is almost impossible to prepare for all disasters, but what you can do is take a few preventative measures that are easy, affordable, and protect your home from a wide variety of disasters. One such measure is investing in a good security system for your home. It will protect your home against everything from the obvious break-ins, to fires, floods, and below-freezing temperatures. These systems provide constant monitoring whether you are at home or away, and can save you a lot of heartbreak and headaches along the way as well. Having peace of mind that you and the proper authorities will be alerted in the event of an emergency is immeasurable.

Survival Kits

• Disaster emergency kits are simply a collection of the important items an individual or family needs during the event of an emergency or disaster. These kits should be kept in a couple places around the house, and perhaps even a place of work. They should contain at least one gallon of water per person, three-day supplies of nonperishable food, clothing, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, basic tools, maps, and even necessary medications. This will allow you, and/or the members of your family, to not rely solely on aid relief. It will also provide you with the ability to stay put, as opposed to venturing out into a potentially dangerous environment.

Plans & Instructions

• The American Red Cross recommends developing a preparedness plan, unique to you and your family, that both prepares and informs in the event of a disaster or an emergency. It is also recommended to choose two separate meeting places outside of the home. One should be immediately outside of your house for sudden disasters, such as a fire. The other meeting place should be outside of your neighborhood to cover the chance of there being a mandatory evacuation. This also brings up the point that an evacuation plan should be put in place, practiced, and executed efficiently by family members at least once a year.

How to Survive a Riot

Although the United States is a relatively safe and stable country, there are times, and places, when the civil authority begins to break down so that mobs and rioting can threaten your family. In fact, riots have been in the news quite a lot lately. It's getting so that the flash point for an urban riot and mob rule requires a much shorter fuse than in the past.

Hikingware.com asks if you are ready for such a crisis if it happens in your area? Here are some tips and ideas to help you get through the worst of a riot:

When certain densely populated areas become a cauldron of human rage and anarchy, that’s when “groupthink” begins to take over. Groupthink is the loss of reasoning in individuals – when they adopt the mentality of the crowd that they’re a part of.
It has been defined this way: a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from in-group pressures.

This is one reason why it’s absolutely crucial for individuals to take cover and stay out of sight for the duration of the riot — especially during the hours that curfew is in effect. Obviously, you’ll want to keep away from downtown areas, but also, it’s best not to come within blocks of businesses, either.

You’ll know where the rioting has reached a fever pitch wherever there is looting, as this is an invaluable indication of where law and order has been temporarily overturned; places where consumer goods are concentrated tend to be magnets for looting. Also, it’s best to keep away from places that sell alcohol, because A), this is probably not the best time to be attending happy hour, and, B), alcohol will attract and enable groupthink. This is why a police scanner should be part of your emergency equipment; it can let you know where the trouble areas are. 

If you currently live within blocks of a possible rioting hotspot, then you’ll want to consolidate, hide and protect your valuables and necessities. It’s really anyone’s guess as to what the groupthinkers are going to do and where the riot virus will spread, which means that it’s best to prepare for the worst BEFORE things get out of hand. 

You should keep on hand enough lumber and nails to board up your front windows quickly so that mobs cannot get a peek inside your home. Also, a few boarded up windows may convince them that there's no one and nothing worth disturbing. 

Having a 72-hour pack ready to go out the door with you is literally going to be a lifesaver if you have to evacuate because of rioting near you. 

Remember that there are two triggers to evacuation. One, the local authorities tell you to leave, and two, you yourself decide that your home is no longer save for your family. Make sure you discuss the second trigger with all of your family, so they know ahead of time that when you give the word to go it's not time to sit down for a family council, but time to make like a bread truck and haul buns!

One final warning about dealing with rioters and police:

If you own a firearm, keep it concealed. If rioters see your weapon they might feel threatened and react immediately in a deadly manner. Also, if the police and/or National Guard see your weapon they may think you're a rioter and react in as deadly a manner as the rioters. When a riot threatens your neighborhood, don't play the hero. Get your family out with your immediate valuables and documents, and don't look back. The way to play hero is to prevent any violence to your family be removing them from the threat zone -- not by flashing your weapons around like The Magnificent Seven. 

Keeping a Food Terrarium in Your Home

KEEPING A FOOD TERRARIUM IN YOUR HOME

While they are most often used for growing flowers and other non-edible plants, it is possible to grow food inside of a terrarium.

Hikingware.com encourages you to consider the uses an indoor terrarium could have during a disaster or emergency that cuts you off from getting out for fresh food, or even just the chance to look at some greenery.

A terrarium is a closed or almost closed mini-ecosystem, enclosed in a clear container. Depending on what’s inside, the lid will either fully or partially cover the bottle. The lid will help control the environment inside your terrarium.

For each terrarium you’ll need:

• A clean, clear container with a wide top and a lid such as:
  • A large mason jar
  • A cake stand
  • A gallon pitcher
  • An aquarium
  • A plastic deli container
• Activated charcoal pieces or an aquarium filter
• Potting soil that drains well
• Enough pebbles to line the bottom of the container a by ½ inch
• Sphagnum moss
• Your desired plants and seeds (more details below)
• A spray bottle for misting
• Plastic wrap to cover the top if your container’s lid is missing or doesn’t cover tightly.

How to Assemble Your Terrarium

You’ll need four layers at the bottom of each terrarium. They are each essential to creating a healthy, low-maintenance system.

First, place a layer of pebbles or cleaned gravel at the bottom of your container. This layer allows drainage from the upper layers, and prevents your plants from rotting at the roots.

The second layer is a thin layer of activated charcoal. You can also use a piece of aquarium filter cut to size. The charcoal absorbs odors from the decomposition that’ll happen as your garden grows and keeps the soil clean.

If your plants don’t need a tropical environment, you can skip the charcoal. For these plants, you’ll be leaving the lid off of your terrarium at least partially, and the fresh air will keep the odor down.

Next you’ll add a layer of sphagnum moss. This moss is often found in swampy areas, and is also known as sheet moss. It will prevent the soil on top from making its way down to the filtering material.

Your final layer before adding plants is potting soil. You’ll want soil that stays well drained. A soil mixture comprised of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite works really well for growing in small spaces.

The soil needs to be deep enough to accommodate root growth. Three inches is a good starting point, though you can adjust this based on the plants you are growing.

Before planting, you’ll want to pack down your terrarium’s base as much as possible. You can use your hand, or a small gardening tool that’ll fit inside your container. A hand-held potato masher also works.

This packing process will remove air pockets in the soil and gravel, and help your plants grow better. Once packed, your soil and drainage materials should take up about a quarter of your terrarium container.

Not every food plant is suited for terrarium growth. You want slower growing plants that won’t grow bigger than your container. Here are some that gardeners have had success with:

• Dwarf tomato plants
• Dwarf blueberry plants
• Herbs such as mint, thyme, and oregano
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Arugula
• Green onions
• Creeping figs

A terrarium is a great project for the kids. It's simple and low maintenance, and it will give your children a sense of contributing to the welfare of the entire family as they care for it consistently. Unlike a bag of split peas, a glass terrarium can actually add beauty and color to your living room decor while providing a bit of security in times of emergency. 

Helaman 5:3

  "Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction."

Helaman 5:3

A Nephite who had a stiff neck

held mercy and justice in check.

He would not be led 

by leaders, instead

the ship of state he made a wreck. 

 

Hurricane Season

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR HURRICANE SEASON?

 Florida, usually considered the most hurricane-prone state, has been extraordinarily lucky until now, with Hurricane Wilma in 2005 (the same year as Katrina hit South Florida).

It doesn’t take very long for people to forget the devastation that previous hurricanes have caused in the United States. Hurricanes are one of the few disasters that advanced weather forecasting can predict well ahead of its arrival. The National Weather Service puts out regular advisories for upcoming storms. Despite this, few are prepared to handle the dangers to life and property that can occur.

Certainly, hurricanes can be severe, but they don’t have to be life-threatening for those who prepare.  Unlike tornadoes, which can pop up suddenly, hurricanes are first identified when they are hundreds, if not thousands of miles away.  We can watch their development and have a good idea of how bad it might get and how much time we have to get ready.  An effective plan of action takes into account factors like shelter, clean water, food, power, and other important issues.  By planning before a hurricane threatens your area, you’ll avoid the mad rush for supplies that leaves supermarket shelves empty. 

It's also a very good idea to have your emergency supplies on hand well before hurricane season begins, according to Hikingware.com. Because you never know what other kind of disaster or emergency may strike your neighborhood at any time. 

You can outrun one of these storms if you get enough of a head start. That’s actually one of your most important decisions:  Should you get out of Dodge?  If you live on the coast or in an area that floods often, there will be rising tide waters (known as the “storm surge”) that might be reason enough to leave. The storm surge, combined with heavy rains, can cause impressive flooding, and is the leading cause of deaths due to hurricanes.

The National Weather Service keeps a close eye on hurricanes and issues two types of warnings:

Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are possible within a specified area.

Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are expected somewhere within a specified area.

In many cases, the authorities will issue an order to evacuate areas that will be hardest hit. If such an order is broadcast, you should leave. If you live in pre-fabricated housing, such as a trailer, or near the coast, it’s wisest to hit the road before the storm makes landfall. Alternatively, many municipalities will designate a hurricane-resistant public building in your own community as an official shelter.

If you decide to weather the storm at home, designate a safe room somewhere in the interior of the house.  It should be in a part of the home most downwind from the direction the hurricane is hitting you. Be certain to plan for any special needs that family members (and pets) may have.  You may wind up taking care of more people that you expect, so have more water and non-perishable food than you think you’ll need (1 gallon/day per person minimum). Filling bathtubs with fresh water would give you a reasonable supply.

Fill up gas and propane tanks early in every hurricane season. Make sure that you know how to shut off the electricity, gas and water, if necessary, and perhaps consider getting a generator and some extra gas cans. Never use gas grills or generators indoors, though, as the fumes may be life-threatening.

Some items will be very useful in the cleanup after the storm.  You’ll need work gloves, plastic garbage bags, duct tape, insect repellent, and even tweezers to deal with the splinters that inevitably are part and parcel of moving a lot of debris.  A chain saw might be needed as well.

In the aftermath of the hurricane, cell phone service may be down due to the huge volume of calls. Texts may be possible, however, even if voice calls aren’t.

By planning early to get your home and family prepared for a hurricane, you’ll get through the storm in the best shape possible.

The Top Ten Disaster Movies

Turning from the grim realities of preparing your family to survive emergencies and disasters, Hikingware.com would like to present instead a list of the top ten disaster movies.
Maybe you've seen some of them, and hopefully there are a few that you haven't viewed yet.
So put on your crash helmet, warm up the DVD player, break out the popcorn, and review these flicks where Mother Nature turns nasty . . .

Twister.

Along with flying cows, one of the more interesting twists in the storm-chasing thriller Twister is its leading couple. In movies like Outbreak, Independence Day and 2012, it’s the stagnating husband who has to win back his jet-setting ex. Not so in Twister, where Bill Paxton is the collared shirt wearing sellout, while soon-to-be ex-wife Helen Hunt has to lure him back to the passion project that united them.

The Day After Tomorrow.

Some say the world will end in fire, but in The Day After Tomorrow Dennis Quaid tells us emphatically it will end in ice. Of course no on listens to him, so when the North Atlantic Current abruptly reverses course the world’s leaders are caught unprepared--some quite literally--by the biggest planetary weather event in more than 10,000 years.

Contagion.

Stephen Soderbergh brought the multilinear style he used in 2005’s Syriana to the disaster genre in 2011 with Contagion. The style, sometimes known as hyperlink cinema, was a natural fit for a disaster movie. It allowed the director to track the rapid spread of a lethal disease from a variety of simultaneous viewpoints. The film's all-star cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Bryan Cranston.

Earthquake.

A giant earthquake, a suicidal wife and psychotic national guardsmen are just a few of the problems Charlton Heston faces in 1974’s Earthquake. With help from George Kennedy and Shaft himself, Richard Roundtree, Heston leads a ragtag band of survivors through the ruins of Los Angeles. What's not to like?

Outbreak.

In Outbreak, Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo race to stop the deadly Motaba virus before Donald Sutherland drops a giant bomb on an infected California town. Though the speed with which Hoffman synthesizes a magical cure may not be scientifically accurate, the rest of the movie feels eerily plausible. Fun fact: The capuchin monkey in Outbreak also became a sitcom star when he played Marcel on Friends.

Armegeddon.

Admit it, you can still sing every word of the Aerosmith theme song to Armageddon. Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Armageddon was the flashier competition to the summer of 1998’s other astronomical disaster movie, Deep Impact. Though today it falls squarely in the guilty pleasure category, the movie nonetheless features a great cast, sharp dialogue and a striking visual style. Get some more butter on that popcorn, stat!  

The Poseidon Adventure.

Though not the first disaster film, The Poseidon Adventure nailed down the blueprint for future entries with its strong ensemble and stunning effects. Gene Hackman stars as an unorthodox preacher leading the handful of survivors smart enough to ignore the morons urging everyone to go the wrong way. While all disaster movies feature tragic deaths, The Poseidon Adventure delivers some of the most devastating sacrifices in the genre.

The Impossible.

The Impossible is set against the backdrop of one of the most devastating natural disasters in recorded history. The movie is based on the real-life story of Dr. María Belón and her family, who were vacationing in Thailand when it was hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that took the lives of over 240,000 people in fourteen countries.

Titanic.

It may not have aged well but in 1997 Titanic was, to quote its leading man, the king of the world. That year James Cameron’s period spectacle won a whopping eleven Oscars. Sadly, as we all know, the romance at the heart of the film ends in tragedy when an older and obviously insane Rose throws away a priceless diamond necklace that could have put all her grandchildren through college.

The Towering Inferno.

The Towering Inferno had all the elements that defined disaster movies in the 70s: a huge, all-star cast led by racing rivals Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, dazzling special effects, and a complex web of intertwined storylines. It also fell just short of winning the Best Picture Oscar when it was nominated in 1975, losing to a little movie called The Godfather: Part II. Which only goes to prove that, in Hollywood at least, crime DOES pay. 

Confronting and Defeating Asbestos in Your Home

Every family should be prepared for a major catastrophe. And while most families have some sort of plan in place for natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods, very few are adequately prepared for asbestos exposure. However, it’s imperative that you understand how to respond.

Hikingware.com encourages you to follow these five simple principles in order to minimize your risk of asbestos exposure and consequent health problems:

Hundreds of thousands of homes around the country have asbestos lurking behind the drywall and hiding in the insulation. And while it’s typically fine when left undisturbed, it can be a real danger to your health when it becomes airborne. 

1. What to Know if Your Home Contains Asbestos

Everyone wants to know what they should do if their home contains asbestos. The best answer is to proceed with the utmost caution.

“f the structure was built in the 80s or prior, it’s best to assume there’s asbestos in the drywall and other building materials. This means that you shouldn’t do serious renovations without professional help. Intrusive sanding, cutting into walls or ceilings to install fixtures or outlets, removing or cutting down walls in renovations all have the potential to sicken your family.

If you want to be certain whether or not your home contains asbestos, then you can have your walls tested. There are both DIY and professional tests available.

2. Know Where it is Found

While most people are aware that asbestos is found in insulation, did you know that it can also be present in other home construction materials? It is commonly found in steam pipes, boilers, furnace ducts, cement sheets, resilient floor tiles, shingles, siding, and more. It’s also found in old vehicles – specifically in brake pads and gaskets.

3. If Asbestos is Disturbed…

The unfortunate reality of the situation is that you probably won’t know if asbestos is disturbed. However, if you suspect that it may have been released in the air – perhaps due to tearing through drywall – then a calculated response is necessary.

For starters, you should immediately use a respirator to avoid breathing in the fibers. Next, you should seal off the affected area to prevent fibers from traveling to other areas of the home. It’s also smart to cut off the HVAC in order to kill airflow.

Remove your clothing and leave it in the affected area and then call a professional to assess the situation. A professional can determine if there’s an  exposure risk and take any necessary action. Should the professional determine that the area needs to be cleaned, he will use a respirator, HEPA vacuum, and disposable clothing.

4. Have a Method for Evacuating

It may seem like overkill to have an evacuation plan for asbestos, but it’s better to be prepared than to end up with a health crisis on your hands. With this being said, an evacuation plan is a smart idea.

An evacuation plan should account for multiple exit points and a plan of action for gathering important items – such as keys, clothing, and more. Generally speaking, you can use the same evacuation plans for things like natural disasters.

5. Don’t Reenter Until the Problem Has Been Resolved

After exiting your home, you should get in contact with the appropriate parties. They have all of the right equipment to handle the situation. Never personally reenter the home until the issue has been identified and fixed.

Don’t Let Asbestos Sneak Up On You

The likelihood of asbestos entering your home and harming your family is quite low. However, in homes that were constructed prior to 1980, it’s entirely likely that asbestos is lurking behind walls. It is also still found in building materials that are imported from overseas, especially China. So be safe and have your house checked for asbestos.